A study of the carbon steel/cooling water interface was carried out using electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS). EIS spectra reveal that a layer of corrosion and scale products forms naturally and evolves with the immersion time modifying the carbon steel/cooling water interface and giving rise to corrosion and scale processes. In addition, the nature of the layer formed on the metal was found to depend on the inhibitor used. It was established that the corrosion inhibitor (hydroxyphosphonoacetic acid (HPA)) chelates with Ca(II) ion generating a layer with resistive properties that provides good protection against corrosion. In contrast, the scale inhibitor (1-hydroxy-ethane-1,1-diphosphonic acid (HEDP)) is incorporated into the calcium carbonate crystals at the surface, modifying the structure and diminishing scale formation in the surface; this additive additionally inhibited corrosion. These observations were supported by scanning electronic microscopy (SEM) and corroborate previous studies performed by other techniques on HPA and HEDP. Finally, a synergistic effect was observed between these inhibitors that provides good protection to steel against corrosion and scaling in cooling media. (c) 2005 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.